Fun Facts - The Language

The beautiful Hawaiian language captures the natural beauty of the islands in its tones and phrases. Most Hawaiian words have multiple meanings and sometimes hidden meanings. When the language is spoken, the understanding comes from the context of what is being said.

Our name is pronounced;
“loo ow kah lah mah koo”

Hawaiian Pronunciation

a sounds like [ah] as in above [ah buv]
e sounds like [eh] as in bet [beht]
i sounds like [ee] as in be [bee]
o sounds like [oh] as in obey [oh bei]
u sounds like [oo] as in rule [rool]
ai sounds like the “i” in ice
ae sounds like I or eye
ao sounds like “ow” in how, but without a nasal twang
au sounds like the “ou” in house or out.
ei sounds like “ei” in chow mein or in eight
eu has no equivalent English; “eu” sounds like “eh-oo,” run together, as in a single syllable
iu sounds like “ew” in few
oi sounds like the “oi” in voice
ou sounds like the “ow” in bowl
ui is an unusual sound for English-speakers, sort of like the “ooey” in gooey, but pronounced as a single syllable
òkina glottal stop. Pronounced as a brief pause where it occurs in the word.
kahako macron. Elongates the sound of the vowel to which it is attached.